Yorba Linda voters serve up historic firsts in 2016 election year: a successful recall, female majority

Yorba Linda voters will have served up a couple of historic firsts in the Nov. 8 election if the continuing count confirms current tallies.

One, of course, is the community's first-ever successful recall that dumped two six-year directors of the Yorba Linda Water District by a massive 70 percent of the vote. Only one other recall has ever made the ballot, a failed attempt to oust two city councilmen in 2014.

A new board majority will include Wayne Miller, elected for four years, and Brooke Jones and Al Nederhood, who will finish the two years left on the terms of Robert Kiley and Gary Melton.

They will be joined by holdover director Phil Hawkins and Andy Hall, who was elected to a four-year term as the running-mate of Ric Collett, who was defeated seeking a fourth term.

While the new majority has vowed to lower rates and return excess payments, another issue sure to arise is the status of General Manager Marc Marcantonio and Public Affairs Manager Damon Micalizzi.

Both were heavily criticized by leaders of the Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association that launched the recall and endorsed three of the winners in a bitter, hard-fought contest.

Marcantonio's three-year “at-will” contract expires Sept. 1, 2017, at which time he could be released, only collecting unused leave. If he's fired before that date, he's entitled to a three-month severance or pay equal to his monthly salary for time remaining on his contract.

His current yearly pay is $191,675, with no severance needed if he voluntarily resigns. The pay range for Micalizzi tops out at $158,155, according to the district's transparency posting.

Another first, if the vote count trend continues, will be the concurrent election of two women to the City Council for a first-ever female majority: newly elected Tara Campbell and Beth Haney and Peggy Huang, elected in 2014.

Previously, only six women were among the 32 individuals elected to the council since incorporation. Fifteen others lost in past elections, and just once, 2008-2010, have two served simultaneously.

The first woman elected, Carolyn Ewing in 1972, didn't seek a second term. Keri Wilson, elected in 2002, Jan Horton, elected in 2006, and Nancy Rikel, elected in 2008, were all defeated for re-election. Only Barbara Kiley served two terms, 1992-2000.

Unless Craig Young reverses a 364-vote election night deficit, his loss would come after surviving (with Tom Lindsey) that first 2014 recall election.

Despite anti-incumbent sentiment in the other contests, voters strongly supported Placentia-Yorba Linda school trustees in a second-straight election. Judi Carmona, Carol Downey and Eric Padget and 2014 winners Carrie Buck and Karin Freeman have served a total 63 years.

And once again Yorba Linda will have two trustees on the North Orange County Community College District board, with library commissioner Ryan Bent joining Jeff Brown on the seven-member panel.